H’wood timing: Green Lantern wraps shooting, hires writer for sequel

DC Comics CCO Geoff Johns Tweefed Saturday that the Martin Campbell-directed, Ryan Reynolds-starring Green Lantern movie had wrapped production in New Orleans. It’s not scheduled for release until next June, but apparently WB is so tumescent with the idea of Ryan Reynolds’ abs in 3D that they’ve already hired a writer for the sequel. For the first movie, Michael Goldenberg rewrote a script by Greg Berlanti, Michael Green and Marc Guggenheim. WB hired the same trio to write a treatment for the sequel, and now Goldenberg has been hired to write that, presumably to give the other three more time to troll JDate for hot tail.

“Green Lantern” wasn’t cheap, reportedly costing upwards of $150 million. You don’t even need to read the Variety report to figure out what the sequel will be about. Mark Strong, who plays Sinestro, has already said several times — and just recently again — that his character is not a villain in the first film and “Green Lantern” essentially sets up his character as the antagonist in the sequel (Sinestro initially plays the protagonist Hal Jordan’s mentor). [ThePlaylist]

Any time I read the phrase “sets up for a the sequel”, the prickly hairs on my balls stand up as I remember the utterly pointless two-hour prologue that was Ridley Scott’sRobin Hood, but perhaps (hopefully) that’s an unfair comparison. I just hope we get something faithful to the original comic book, where an alien comes to Earth and gives his special ring to a muscular youth in spandex tights, and not something super gay.